Conducting transition metal nitride thin films with tailored cell sizes: The case of {delta}-Ti{sub x}Ta{sub 1-x}N

Journal Article · Mon Jul 07 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2955838· OSTI ID:21123983

Koutsokeras, L E ^[1]; Abadias, G ^[2]; Lekka, Ch E; Matenoglou, G M; Anagnostopoulos, D F; Patsalas, P ^[1]; Evangelakis, G A ^[3]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, GR-45110 Ioannina (Greece)
2. Laboratoire PHYMAT, Universite de Poitiers-CNRS, UMR 6630, SP2MI, Teleport 2, Bd Marie et Pierre Curie, 86962 Chasseneuil-Futuroscope (France)
3. Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, GR-45110 Ioannina (Greece)

We present results on the stability and tailoring of the cell size of conducting {delta}-Ti{sub x}Ta{sub 1-x}N obtained by film growth and ab initio calculations. Despite the limited solubility of Ta in Ti, we show that TiN and TaN are soluble due to the hybrization of the d and sp electrons of the metal and N, respectively, that stabilizes the ternary system to the rocksalt structure. The stress-free cell sizes follow the Vegard's rule; nevertheless, process-dependent stresses expand the cell size of the as-grown films. The electronic properties of {delta}-Ti{sub x}Ta{sub 1-x}N films ({rho}=180 {omega} cm) are similar to those of TiN and TaN.

• OSTI ID: 21123983
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 93, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2955838; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTAL GROWTH
ELECTRONS
ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION
LASER RADIATION
PULSED IRRADIATION
SOLUBILITY
SPUTTERING
TANTALUM NITRIDES
THIN FILMS
TITANIUM NITRIDES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS